Fastener



EDG-AR J'. BRYAN, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALIF- TOFRED STEBLER, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

FASTENER..

Application filed Octobera, 1916, Serial No. 124,441.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, EDGAR J. BRYAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Riverside, in the "county of Riverside and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Fastener, of which thefollowing is a specification. y

This invention relates to fasteners for securing together thewalls ofboxes and like receptacles and resides in the provision of a metalfastener which is formed of a single thickness of sheet metal and usedwithout the employement of nails or other like fastening elements.

An object of the invention is to provide a oneepiece metal fastener ofthe character described which may be easily and quickly' stamped from ablank of sheet metal, is inexpensive to manufacture and reliable in use.

Another object is to V provide a fastener of the character describedwhich is particularly designed for fastening together beveled meetingedges of the right-angular walls of a receptacle, the fastener being ofsuch shape as to securely hold the walls against derangement incidentalto internal or external strain.

A further object is to provide a fastener for receptacles which not onlysecures the walls thereof in rigid relation to one another butreinforces the receptacles and protects the edges thereof.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

Figure l is a perspective view of a. receptacle showing my fastener asit appears when in use;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the receptacle taken through one ofthe corners "thereof showing the relative position of the fastener 'andwalls of the receptacle;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank prior to the bending of the tonguesthereon; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the fastener removed from the receptacle.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a blank of relatively thin sheetmetal which comprises an elongated flat body portion 2 of a singlethickness having triangular or -pointed locking tongues 3 and 4 formedon opposite longitudinal edges thereof, the tongues being staggered.

The tongues 3 on the outer edge of the body portion and which shallhereinafter Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A pr. 6, 1920.l Renewed February 18, 1920. Serial No. 359,545.

vide spurs 5 which" lie parallel to the body portion 2. The innertongues 4c are alternatively bent from their basal lines to extend inopposite directions and lie at slight angles to the body portion 2,their pointed ends being bent at right-angles to the body portionsthereof to provide spurs G which are-opposed to the spurs 5 and.extend'toward the latter. The foregoing described position of thetongues is that priorto the securing of the tongues in place.

In use, the fastener is placed between the opposed beveled edges 7 and 8of the rightangularly disposed walls 9 and l0 of a box orlike'receptacle, as shown in the drawings, so that the body portion 2 isinterposed between and engages said edges 7 and 8 and the tongues 3 and4 lie in parallel outwardly spaced relation to the outer and inner facesofthe walls 9 and l() respectively. The spurs 5v and 6 at this time havetheir pointed ends in engagement with the outer and inner faces of thewalls 9 and l0 and are located at right-angles to' said walls. The spursare next forced into the walls, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, andthis allows the tongues to engage and lie closely upon the inner andouter faces of the walls 9 and l0, securely fasteningthe walls together.In causing the spurs 5 and G to embed themselves in the walls, thetongues 3 and l are bent relative to the body portion so that they lieparallel to each other instead of being disposed in the position such asshown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and it will be seen that the bending ofthe tongues to bring the spurs into locking position may be effected bysuitable pressing machinery, not shown, if so desired. By 'having thetongues 3 bent at right-angles to the body portion, it is possible toeasily and quickly position the fastener for securing the walls and tobend the tongues into locking position.

From the foregoing it is clear that a sheet metal fastener is interposedbetween the adjacent. ends of adjoining box members and that saidfastener has its two opposite edges serrated, the alternate serrations4, at one edge being bent in one direction and y penetrating the innerface of the loox member 9,v the other serrations 4 at said one edgebeing bent in the opposite direction. and penetrating the inner face ofthe other boxY member l0, alternate serrations 3 at the other edge beingbent in one direction and penetratlng the outer face of the box member9, and the other serrations 3 at said other edge being bent in theopposite direction and penetrating the outer face of the other boxmember 10. This construction produces great rigidity at the jointbetween the box members, the tendency to crushing of the members towardone another being counteracted by the resistance to bending toward oneanother of the serrations 4 and resistance to pulling from one anotherof the serrations 3.

rThe fastener provides an equal number of tongues upon the inner facesas upon the outer faces of the `walls and as the body portion 2 islocated between and in engagement with the edges of the walls, thelatter are not only firmly secured against coming apart through externalas well as internal strain but are reinforced.

The fastener offers a continuous line of metal at the edges of thereceptacle and protection against chipping, dent-- in connection with abox or receptacle, it is to be understood that the device may be usedfor other purposes, not shown, in any wayin which it is appiicable,'andI do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and illustratedbut may make minor changes as to detail of construction -within thespirit of the invention and scope of the subjoined claim. y

I claim: t

The combination with the Walls of a receptacle having oblique meetingend faces, of a fiat metal body portion of one thickness interposedbetween the opposed end faces of the walls, tongues extendingalternately lin -opp'osite directions from each longitudinal edge of thebody portion, the tongues on one edge enga-Ging and penetrating theinner faces of .the walls and the tongues on the other edge engaging theouter faces of the walls. Y

Signed at Riverside, Calif., this 28th day of September, 1916.

EDGAR J. BRYAN. Witnesses:

CAROLINE GREGG, HARRY CONRAD.

